Automobile lock



J. O.-AKERS.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION mu) MAY 29.1920. RENEWED JUNE 25.1921.

1,403,237 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHLETS SHEET l.

ATTORNEY W ITNESS J. O. AKERS.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPUCATION HLED MAY 29.1920. RENEWED mm 25, I921.

2 SHtUS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

eQQiw k ATTORNE Y WI NESS PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. .AKERQ, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAKD.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

,Bpecincatlon oi Letters Patent. Patentd F b. 28 1922 Application filed Kay 29, 1920, Serial No. 385,232. Renewed June 25, 1921. Serial No. 480,460.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1 James G. Aliens, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Automobile Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has reference to means for locking the steering post of an automobile to the steering column so that the machine cannot be used b unauthorized persons, and may be consi ered in the nature of an improvement upon my United States application, Serial No. 346,269, filed December 20, 1919, and allowed April 15, 1920.

The primary object of the present in ention is the provision of means for locking the steering post of an automobile to the steering post column when the post has been turned in the column to arrange the steering wheels angularly with respect to the machine, whereby to prevent the travel of the machine in a straight course, certain elements of the locking means providing bracing or sustaining means for the steering post, and the said locking means also includmg switch operating mechanism whereby the circuit of the ignition system of the au tomobile will be broken when the post is locked, so that the engine cannot be started when the lock is applied.

It is also my purpose to produce a combined lockin means for the steering post of an automo ile and switch operating mechanism for the electric circuit thereof, in which the mechanism may be readily actuated in post locking and circuit closing positioii, and automatically retained out of engagement with the post and out of contact with the switch of the electric circuit, when the machine is to be propelled.

The foregoing, and other objects which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished b a simple construction, combination, an operative arrangement of parts, such as is disclosed by the drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an automobile showing the improvement at tached to the steering post and also showing the angular arrangement of the steering wheels with respect to the body of the machine when the post is locked on the steering column.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the improvement, the steering post and the column being broken away.

F gure 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, the post being locked to the steering column.

Figure 5 is a similar sectional view showing the lockingmeans in their initial inactive position.

Figure (3 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional view approxi mately on the ,line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view approximately on the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the lock casing, parts being in section.

Referringnow to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the front portion of an automobile, 2 the steering post, 3 the steering wheel connected to the post, and 4,

the steering column which encloses the post.

On the steering column. at a suitable dis tance below the steering wheel, I secure a sleeve 5. The sleeve, upon its inne face, is formed with an enlargement which is in the nature of a rectangular or square boss 6. The boss, from the outer face thereof, is provided with a substantially-square or rectangular socket 7 havin one of the side walls thereof formed with a notch 8. The rear wall of the socket has a square or rectangular opening 9 which aligns with a similar opening 10 in the steering post column 4.

The sleeve is preferably secured on the column by screws 11 that have their heads received in reamed portions that surround the screw openings. Thc'securin elements 11 are preferably arranged on tlie face of the sleeve opposlte that provided with the boss as well as on the. sides of the said sleeve.

\Vhen the steerin post is to be locked to the steering post co umn, the steering wheel is turned to arrange the steering wheels 2 at an angle with-respect to the body of the machine, which brings a notch 12 that is formed in the steering post centrally of the openings 9 and 10.

The foregoing description is-similar to that set forth in my referred to application Serial No. 346,269, and certain of the elements hereinafter to be described also bear a similarity to elements set forth in my said application, and the functions of the remamng elements are attained in a different and better manner than those set forth in the slid application.

Passing through the openings 9 and 10, infthe sleeve and in the steering column is a block 13. This block has its inner face concaved, as at 14, the concavity being rounded and sun ly receiving therein the steering post 2. e block 13 does not exert a frictional engagement against the steering post, but serves as a means for steadying the said st both when stationary and when turned 111 the steering column. The block 13 is locked in proper position through the medium of a pin or the like,'indicated by the numeral 14, that passes transversely throu h the box 6 of the sleeve and through t e opening 9 in the said boss, as well as, of course, through the block 13.

The block 13 has its rear face formed with a substantially rectangular pocket 15 and has a central opening extending from the inner wall of the pocket to the concaved face there of, as indicated b the numeral 16. 'Theboss 6, at t e lower wall of the socket 7 therein is rovided with a depressed rtion 18 in which is seated a block 19 o insulating material that carries contact members 20 and 21 respectively to which are connected the conductor wires 22 and 23 which are enclosed in a casing 24, and which are connected to the ignition system of the machine. On the contact member 20 there is a spring switch 25 that is designed, when depressed, to cage 0 with the contact member 21, but norms y, through its inherent resiliency, held out of such engagement.

Received for ion tudinal movement through the socket 7 ofthe boss 6 is a square or rectangular lock casing 26. In the casing is suitable 'mechanism for actuating a bolt 27 that, w n the easingis forced fully into the socket registers withthe notch 8, and by the turning of a key isreceived in the said notch. The casing 26'has both of its ends enlarged, the inner enlargement being indicated by the numeral 28, and the outer by the numeral 29. Passing throu h the bottom of the boss 6, and entering t e socket 7 are the reduced non-threaded ends of nonheaded screw members 31. The elements 30 are dis osed in the path of contact with the i inner edge 28 of the lock casing when the sum is in retracted position and the said ele nts may be in the ath of cpntact with the flange 29 when. the ock casing is forced into the socket 7.

The inner flange 28 may be in the nature of a removable element, and carries a centrally disposed lug 32. The lug 30 is somewhatelongated and is at all times received in the opening .16 of the block 13 and in a position to be received through the opening 12 in the steering post when the said post is turned, as previously described, to bring the steering wheels at an angle with respect to the body of the machine.

In the pocket 15 of the block, surrounding the lug 32, and exerting a tension between the inner wall of the said pocket and the inner face of the lock casing 26, is a coiled spring 33. The spring 33 is of a conical formation, and is of sufiicient strength to at all times hold the lock casing 26 in an outwardly projected position with respect to the socket of the lug 6.

lVhen the lock casing is projected outward of the socket of the lug by the spring 33, the inner flange 28 thereof will contact with the arched or upwardly rounded portion of the switch spring 25, depressing the latter and causin the same to engage with the contact 20. his closes the ignition circuit, permitting the proper operation of the motor. In looking the ost to the column and for breaking the ignition circuit, the key is just inserted in the key opening in the lock casing and the said lock casing is forced into the socket, projecting the stud 32 through the opening in the block 10 and into the opening 12 in the steerin post. The key is turned so that the bolt 2 is received in the notch or keeper 8 in the lug. All of the parts are designed to remain permanently on the steering column, except, of course, the key for the lock. Upon releasing the bolt 27, the lock casing, and the stud carried thereby will automatically, through the medium ofthe spring 33, move to an outward position, which, as previously stated, actuates the switch 25 to complete the ignition circuit. The steering post lockin device and circuit breaker may'be applie to any ordinary construction of automobiles.

It will be apparent that the device will serve as a reminder to the operator of the car to lock the same when leaving the machine, as it is necessary to push in the lock casing to break ignition circuit and stop the motor.

It is believed that the foregoing descri tion, when taken in connection with t e drawings, will fully set forth the simplicity and advantages of the improvement without further detail description. 7

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, is:--

The combination with the steering post and column and the circuit of. the ignition system of an automobile, said post and column having openings therein; of a sleeve surrounding and secured to the column and provided with a socket and an opening communicating between the socket and the openopening in the block, and designed to enter when the latter is moved outward of. the

the opening in the steering post, spring socket to contact therewith and to close the means between the bloc and casing for incircuit, means in the socket to engage the 16 fluencing the same to a unlocking ition, bolt of the lock casing when the latter is .9 means for limiting the movement 0 the casdrawn into the socket to bring the lug there ing in both directions, the socket having'a of in engagement with the opening in the depression communicating therewith, conpoet, and the spring switch of the circuit de- (iHL'tOIS for the ignition system entering the signed to spring between the flanges of the go depression and insulated therefrom, a spring casing when the latter is in its last mentioned 10 influenced normally 0 n switch between the position.

conductors in the n51 of engagement with In testimony whereof I afix myilgmture.

JAMES 0. BS.

the inner flange o the lock casing whereby, 

